Michael Portillo: David Cameron took an ‘enormous risk’ with equal marriage

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I think the risk he ended up taking was greater than the one he thought he was taking!!!! Having said that with Scotland now coming into line and Peter Bone head has today withdrawn his ridiculous private members bill on a SMM Referendum in England and Wales – looks as like the bigots are retreating to the swivel eyed hills for christmas. Time for everyone to move on and think about something else.

Cameron did indeed take an enormous risk and rightfully deserves praise for his leadership. However, although Bone’s referendum doesn’t appear on the agenda for 29th November 2013, I’ll be more conforttable knowing it’s official. Is there any other evidence that Bone has actually said he’s withdrawn it?

The only risk, surely, was certain electoral defeat if he didn’t modernise his party. The Tories have already admitted that they need to trumpet things like their gay-marriage victory to stand any hope of re-election.

He took no risk at all in therms of winning elections. This was very carefully polled, and it was clear that unless he did something substantial positive for gay people, the Conservative Party would never again be able to win an election. The same is largely true of the Obama campaign – he could not lead the Democratic Party and yet condon anti-gay policies.

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